Miguel de Cervantes is considered one of the five greats of European literature, alongside Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, and Goethe. With his Don Quixote, he invented the modern novel and created one of the most magnificent characters in world literature. Uwe Neumahr's new biography explores the cosmos of Cervantes' work and narrates the adventurous life of the poet, which resembles a novel itself. At the age of 22, Cervantes (1547-1616) had to flee Spain after a duel. He distinguished himself with bravery in the naval battle of Lepanto, but his left hand was shattered. He fell into the clutches of Algerian pirates, attempted to escape four times, and was only ransomed after five years of captivity. Back in Spain, he worked as a messenger for King Philip II, was accused of murder, went to prison again, and was excommunicated twice by the Church.